St. Croix Resident Faces Legal Consequences for Alleged Gasoline Theft from Previous Employer

ST. CROIX – Recent developments have brought local St. Croix resident, Jason Phipps, into the spotlight. Phipps, 47, finds himself amidst legal turmoil, charged with allegations of grand larceny and deceitfully acquiring funds, after voluntarily presenting himself to authorities last Wednesday.

The genesis of these charges dates back to May 15, 2023, when the Economic Crimes Unit commenced an inquiry based on grievances pertaining to suspicious activities surrounding gasoline.

Delving deeper into the matter, authorities discovered that Phipps is suspected of illicitly drawing gasoline amounting to $1,517.66. The allegations further claim that he executed this act leveraging an account tied to a firm he had ceased affiliations with. Given the gravity of these findings, the green light was given to issue an arrest warrant for the middle-aged man on August 10, 2023.

Marking a significant development in this case, at around 9:59 a.m. Phipps, of his own volition, made his way to the Wilbur Francis Command Police Station. Here, he was taken into custody and was subsequently made aware of his Miranda Rights. Interestingly, Phipps declined to acknowledge these rights in written form and opted to exercise his Fifth Amendment Rights.

The road ahead appears uncertain for Phipps. His bail has been set at a significant $20,000. However, given his inability to meet this financial stipulation, he now finds himself housed at the John A. Bell Adult Correction Facility. As the case unfolds, Phipps is slated to make an appearance for an Advice of Rights Hearing on September 8, at the esteemed Superior Court of the Virgin Islands.